


Rain

by kathkin



Series: Summerpornathon 2012 Participation Rewards [2]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, References to Major Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-06
Updated: 2013-07-06
Packaged: 2017-12-17 22:12:16
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/872517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kathkin/pseuds/kathkin
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>
  <i>It is raining, and Arthur is dying. He doesn’t remember how it came to be so; he doesn’t know what they were fighting over, or if they’re still fighting, because the world has narrowed down to breathing till he no longer has the strength.</i>
</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rain

**Author's Note:**

> Written for [](http://happyevraftr.livejournal.com/profile)[ **happyevraftr**](http://happyevraftr.livejournal.com/)  for getting 100% participation in the 2012 [](http://summerpornathon.livejournal.com/profile)[](http://summerpornathon.livejournal.com/)**summerpornathon**. Prompts: _1\. A kiss in the rain 2. Magic reveal and 3. Any hurt/comfort._ I got in all three!

It is raining, and Arthur is dying. He doesn’t remember how it came to be so; he doesn’t know what they were fighting over, or if they’re still fighting, because the world has narrowed down to the feel of the cold rain on his face, of his own hot life-blood ebbing away, and to breathing till he no longer has the strength.

There’s a wet squelching of footsteps nearby, then a shout. “Arthur!”

He knows who it is before he sees them, before he recognises the voice, even – the last person who should be here and the first person he was expecting. Merlin is sodden and filthy and his hands are on Arthur’s shoulders, his face, lifting him out of the mud. “Oh, god. You’re not alright. You’re not alright.”

“You shouldn’t be here,” Arthur chokes out. “It’s not safe –” Merlin shushes him, a hand in his hair, gentling him, and Arthur keeps breathing.

He’s glad Merlin is here, because he does not want to die alone, but at the same time Merlin is a wet blanket and the idea of him having to watch someone he – cares about die chills Arthur to the bone. He tries to push Merlin away, but Merlin won’t let him, he pulls Arthur closes and buries his face in his neck.

“I’m sorry.” He sounds like he’s crying. “M’ sorry, Arthur.”

Arthur jerks back when he feels Merlin’s hand pressing against his chest, against the place where he must’ve taken a sword to the ribs, but then without any ceremony the pain he was barely registering any more fades away and breathing comes easily again. It takes him a moment to realise what’s happened, until Merlin pulls back and looks him in the eye.

“I’m sorry.” His voice is weak and shaking and Arthur is alive. “I should’ve – I wanted to –”

Arthur will be angry later, he knows, but now he’s _alive_ , and it’s raining and he doesn’t think he’s ever loved Merlin as much as he does in that moment. He takes him by the back of his neck and kisses him.

It tastes a little of blood and mostly of rainwater and it’s not even slightly chaste, and Arthur doesn’t ever want it to end. When he pulls back it’s only so he can say,

“Thank you,” voice still shaking.

“Any time,” says Merlin, trying to sound casual, but it doesn’t work. Arthur tugs him close and holds him till it stops raining.  



End file.
